Stacking apparatus



Dec. 17, 1963 E. WIDMER 3,114,465

STACKING APPARATUS Filed May 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I7 I 2 lb [0 Jnvan/0r:

ERICH L/LDME/Q 87 W max/h Dec. 17, 1963 E. WIDMER 3,114,465

STACKING APPARATUS Filed May 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jnvenior:

ER/CH HID/15R.

BY WSW) M: H TI'ORNEY United States Patent 3,114,465 STACKING APPARATUSErich Widmer, Visp, Wallis, Switzerland, assignor to Lonza Electric andChemical Works Limited, Gampel,

Wallis, Switzerland Filed May 4, 1966, Ser. No. 26,739 Claims priority,application Switzerland May 26, 1959 30 Claims. (Cl. 214-6) The presentinvention relates to a stacking apparatus which is particularly suitablefor depositing bulky objects, such as heavy sacks and the like, in oneor more vertical stacks. More particularly, the invention relates to anapparatus which may be utilized for automatically stacking objects,delivered at predetermined intervals by a supply conveyor or the like,onto a receiving platform or another type of storing means in one, two,three or even more rows.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a stackingapparatus which is adapted to stack the objects at the same rate atwhich the objects are delivered thereto so that no pileup of goods willtake place at the stacking station.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a stackingapparatus which is particularly suitable for stacking of comparativelyflat objects, which may be utilized for depositing the objects in one,two, three or more stacks, and which may be readily adapted for stackingof differently dimensioned and configurated objects.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stacking apparatus ofthe above outlined characteristics whose operation is fully automatic inthat it may be operated in a required rhythm by the oncoming objects andwhich, therefore, requires no attention once it is set in operation.

An additional object of the instant invention is to provide a stackingapparatus which is of very compact design and which, therefore, occupiesvery little space in a plant or another installation where it is put touse.

A concomitant object of the invention is to provide a stacking apparatusof the above described type which is constructed and assembled in such away that it may deposit the objects in any desired position, i.e. whichmay invert the objects or which may deposit the objects in the sameposition which the objects assume prior to the stacking operation.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a stacking apparatusof the above outlined characteristics which is constructed and assembledin such a way that the objects will not suffer any damage during passagethrough the apparatus and during deposition in one or more stacks on aplatform or the like.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a stackingapparatus which may be automatically arrested when the stacks of objectsreach a required height.

A further object of my invention is to provide a stacking apparatus ofthe above outlined type which is of very rugged construction and whichmay be utilized for stacking of comparatively heavy or comparativelylightweight objects.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an arrangement ofimproved loading or stacking members mental-y form, comprises a pair ofloading members connected to each other in such a way that one pivots inclockwise direction when the other pivots anticlockwise, and vice versa,as well as means which alternately pivots the loading members into afirst position in which the loading members define an upwardly openingcompartment which mayreceive an object, and thereupon into a secondposition in which the upwardly opening compartment is transformed into adownwardly opening compartment so that the object may drop onto aplatform, into a receptacle or into any other suitable receiving means.Each object is preferably deposited in at least nearly horizontalposition; to that end, the one or both loading members are formed withretaining means and with platelike main body portions which guide theobjects from a substantially vertical position when the objects arereceived in the upwardly opening compartment into asubstantially'horizontal'position during the transformation of upwardlyopening compartment into the downwardly opening compartment, the objectsthereupon dropping by gravity onto'the receiving means.

The frame which mounts the loading members and their shafts may be swungbetween a central position in which the loading members deposit acentral stack and one or more additional positions in which the loadingmembers deposit additional stacks of objects, for example, a first stackat one side and a second stack at the other side of the central stack.

Alternately, the stacking apparatus may comprise three loading memberswhich are connected with each other in such a way that the centralloading member defines an upwardly opening first compartment with saythe lefthand loading member and that the central loading membersimultaneously defines a downwardly opening second compartment with theright-hand loading member. Such arrangement is preferred 'when theapparatus is utilized for continuously depositing goods in two verticalstacks and constitutes a considerable simplification insofar as theframe of the loading members may remain stationary. An object receivedin the first compartment is then discharged after the first compartmentis transformed into a downwardly opening third compartment, and thesecond compartment is simultaneously transformed into an upwardlyopening fourth compartment which is ready to receive a second objectfrom a supply conveyor or the like. A single supply conveyor may deliverobjects to the first and fourth compartments of such stacking machines.

Certain other features of the improved apparatus reside in the provisionof means for automatically pivoting the loading members into theirrespective positions in response to the advance of objects along andtoward the discharge end of the supply conveyor, in the provision ofmeans for automatically swinging the frame between a central and one ormore additional positions, in the provision of means for automaticallylowering the object receiving means away from the loading members as theheight of stacks on the object receiving means increases,

3 in the provision of specific pivoting means for the loading members,and in the provision of means which swings the frame in such a way thatthe loading members may deposit objects at a slant in order to avoid acollapsing of comparatively high stacks.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following detailed description of certainspecific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of an apparatus embodyingone form of my invention, the apparatus comprising a verticallyreciprocable loading platform for three stacks of objects and beingshown in a position in which its two loading members are about todeposit the bottom object of the central stack;

FIG. 2 is a smaller-scale side elevational view of the apparatus withcertain parts omitted and showing the loading members in two additionalpositions with respect to the loading platform in which the loadingmembers deposit objects in the two outer stacks at the opposite sides ofthe central stack;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a fully loaded platform showingthree equally high stacks of objects and two additional objects placedin staggered relation on top of the stacks to retain the latter in theillustrated position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational View of a slight modification showing theloading members in a median position for depositing an object in thecentral stack, and in two additional positions in which the loadingmembers deposit objects in slightly inclined position with respect tothe central stack;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a platform with three stacks ofobjects formed by the modified apparatus of FIG. 4, further showing twoadditional objects placed in staggered relation at the top of thestacks;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged schematic side elevational view of a furthermodification which utilizes three loading members, the reciprocableplatform and the discharge conveyor having been omitted for the sake ofclarity;

FIG. 7 is a smaller-scale simplified side elevational view of theapparatus shown in FIG. 6, its central and its left-hand loading membersbeing shown in a position in which they define an upwardly openingcompartment containing an object about to be deposited on the twostackplatform therebelow;

FIG. 8 shows the apparatus of FIG. 7 in the next stage of its operationin which its central and its left-hand loading members are about to turnthe object from a substantially vertical into a horizontal position;

FIG. 9 shows a further stage of operation during release of an objectonto the left-hand portion of the platform;

FIG. 10 shows the apparatus of FIGS. 69 in a position similar to theposition of FIG. 9 in which the central and the right-hand loadingmembers define a second compartment containing an object intended fordeposition on the right-hand portion of the platform;

FIG. 11 shows the next stage of operation in which the central and theright-hand loading members are about to turn the object from asubstantially vertical into a horizontal position; and

FIG. 12 illustrates the apparatus in a position in which the object isreleased by the central and the right-hand loading members and is aboutto drop by gravity onto the right-hand portion of the loading platform.

Referring now in greater detail to the illustrated embodiments, andfirst to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, FIG. 1 shows a portion of asupply conveyor which comprises an endless band or chain 1 and a rolleror sprocket 2. The roller 2 rotates in a direction indicated by thearrow whereby the upper run of the band 1 delivers at spaced intervalscertain objects, such as filled sacks or any other type of bulky goods,which the apparatus of FIG. 1 is adapted to arrange in three verticalstacks on the object receiving means here shown as a platform 20.

Beneath the discharge end of the supply conveyor, i.e. substantiallybelow but slightly to the right of the roller 2, there is provided apair of novel loading members each of which is articulately mounted in aswingable supporting frame 18. The left-hand loading member L, comprisesa plate-like main body portion 3 whose horizontal upper edge isswingable about a horizontal shaft 7 mounted in the frame 18, and shortretaining means 5 which extends in a direction to the right from and isfixed in the proximity of the lower end, preferably directly to thehorizontal lower edge of the plate 3. The connection 5a between theplate 3 and strip-shaped retaining means or extension 5 is preferably ofthe adjustable type, i.e. the angle between these parts may be varied asdesired to fix the retaining means 5 in a requisite position withrespect to the main body portion or plate 3. The construction of theright-hand loading member L, is similar, i.e. it comprises a plate-likemain body portion 4 and stripshaped retaining means or extension 6 whichlatter extends to the left, that is, toward the body portion of theloading member L, and is adjustably fixed to the lower end portion,preferably directly to the lower horizontal edge of the plate 4 by aschematically represented mechanism 6a. However, while the shaft 7 isconnected with or rather close to the upper edge of the plate 3, i.e. ata considerable distance from and above the lower edge of member 3, theplate 4 of the second or right-hand loading member L is pivotable abouta horizontal shaft 8 which is closer to the lower than to the upper endof the plate 4. Shaft 8 is also mounted in the frame 13. It will benoted that the shafts 7, 8 are perpendicular to the direction in whichthe objects are advanced by the supply conveyor 1, 2.

The plates 3, 4 are articulately connected to each other by means of aconnecting rod 9, the connection 9a between the rod 9 and plate 3 beinglocated below the shaft 7, i.e. closer to the lower edge of the plate 3,and the connection 9b between the parts 4, 9 being located above theright-hand shaft 8, i.e. more distant from the lower edge of the plate4. Such mode of connection between the rod 9 and plates 3, 4 bringsabout angular movements of the plates in opposite directions, i.e. ifthe loading member L is swung clockwise about the shaft 7, the otherloading member necessarily pivots in anticlockwise direction about theshaft 8, and vice versa. The length of the connecting rod 9 ispreferably adjustable which enables an operator to change the volume ofthe upwardly opening compartment or space C which is defined by theparts 36 in the full-line position of PEG. For example, the connectingrod 9 may consist of two telescoped sections 9, 9" which are releasablyfixed to each other by a screw bolt or by any other suitable lockingmeans. By changing the effective length of the rod 9 between theconnections 9a and 9b, an operator may change the volume of thecompartment C in order to accommodate bulkier or smaller objects, or toaccommodate objects whose configuration is out of normal, e.g. slightlyor pronouncedly trapezoidal or even triangular pieces of goods.

The means for pivoting the loading members L L about their shafts 7, 8,respectively, in addition to the rod 9, comprises a double-actingcylinder and piston assembly 161, Mia, and a piston rod 12 which isarticulately fixed to the plate 4 by a pivot pin 12:! located betweenthe shaft 8 and the point of connection 911. The left-hand end of thecylinder 19 carries a bracket or eye H which is pivotable about ahorizontal pin 11a fixed to the frame is whereby the cylinder 10 and thepiston rod 12 may pivot in a vertical plane to follow device such as agear pump 14b or the like.

the angular movements of the plate 4 about its shaft 8. The piston Idais reciprocable by a gaseous or liquid pressure medium (erg. compressedair or oil) which is alternately introduced through the preferablyflexible conduits 13a, 1312 both leading to a distributor valve 13 iwhich latter receives fluid through a supply conduit 14.

The conduit 14 receives fluid from a source 14a (here shown as an oiltank) through a pressure generating The valve 13 is also connected witha discharge conduit 140 which leads back to the source 14a and which maycommunicate with the conduits 13a, 13b and 14, depending upon whetherthe piston a is to move to the right or to the left, or whether the line140 merely returns the fluid delivered by the pressure generating device1412. The valve 13 is preferably a three-way magnet valve and receivesimpulses from a schematically indicated control device 16 througha'conductor or connecting means 15. The control device 16, in turn,receives impulses from and is operated by a photoelectric cell 17 whichis adjacent to one side of the endless band 1 at the latters upper runand cooperates with a light source 17a to send operating impulses to thecontrol device 1%, to the magnet valve 13 and to the parts 9-12 of thepivoting means whenever an object advancing along the upper run of thesupply conveyor interrupts the light beam passing from the light source17a to the cell 17. Thus, the pivotal movements of the loading members LL are triggered or initiated by the objects while the objects move alongand toward the discharge end of the supply conveyor.

The frame 18 is articulately connected with the upper ends of elongatedsupporting members or uprights 19 whose lower ends are pivotallyconnected to the ground, as at'19a. The apparatus may comprise two ormore pairs or uprights 19 and eventually two supporting frames 18, oneat each end of the shafts '7, 8, with the loading members L L locatedbetween the two frames. The uprights 19 constitute a supportingparallelogram which is adapted to cause the frame means 18 and theloaders L L to perform swinging movements in a vertical plane to theopposite sides of the central position which is shown in FIG. 1, i.e.the frame means and the uprights are movable into the positions 18 19;;,and 13 19 which are indicated in FIG. 2. Of course, the frame means 18may assume a number of additional positions between the positions 18 and18 the purpose of such additional intermediate positions other than thecentral position of FIG. 1 will be described in full detail inconnection with FIG. 3.

The means for swinging the upright supporting 11116111- bers 19 abouttheir ground connections 19a comprises an arrangement which isschematically indicated by the phantom line 16a and which preferablyreceives operating impulses from the control device 16. The exactconstruction of this swinging means 1611 forms no part of the presentinvention.

The operation of the stacking or loading apparatus is as follows:

When the light beam between the source 17a and the photoelectric cell 17is interrupted by a, say, substantially flat rectangular sack whichtravels to the right along the upper run of the conveyor band 1, thecontrol device 16 receives an operating impulse from the cell 17 andadjusts the valve 13 to a position in which the conduit 13:: deliverspressure fluid to the left-hand side of the piston 10:; whereby thepiston and its rod 12 move in a direction to the right. The rod 12pivots the loading member L in clockwise direction while the connectingrod 9 simultaneously brings about an anticlockwise pivotal movement ofthe other loading member L The loading members L L then assume thefull-line positions of FIG. 1 in which the extension or retaining means6 overlaps the extension or retaining means 5 and in which thecompartment C assumes the form of an upwardly and 6 outwardly taperingtrapezoidal space Whose upper end is open and is located in the path ofthe object advancing toward and about to drop over the sprocket orroller 2. Alternately, the operation of the control device 16 may besuch that it automatically returns the loading members L L into thefull-line positions of FIG. 1 whenever a stacking step is completed,i.e. after each release of an object by the loading members.

After a given period of time which may be determined by a time-lag relayor the like forming part of the control device 16, the latter causes thevalve 13 to deliver fluid through the conduit 13b and to permitdischarge of fluid through the conduit 13a whereby the piston 10a movesits rod 12 in a direction to the left and the loading members L L assumetheir phantom-line positions L L respectively (FIG. 1). In other'words,the loading member L pivots anticlockwise while the loading member L,performs a clockwise'pivotal movement and the retaining means 5, 6 moveaway from each other. In their positions L L respectively, the'twoloading members transform the upwardly opening compartment C into atrapezoidal compartment C (indicated in FIG. 2 for the sake of clarity)whose underside is open to permit discharge of an object onto thevertically reciprocable receiving means or platform 20. It will be notedthat, when the loading members L L assume the positions L Lrespectively, the distance between the retaining means 5, 6 is greaterthan the maximum dimension of an object, eg a sack 23, which wasdelivered into the upwardly opening compartment C in'the preceding stepof the stacking operation.

The compartment C is preferably of such shape that it holds a sack 23 ina substantially vertical plane and in such a way that the underside ofthe sack (i.e. that side which was in contact with the upper run of theconveyor band 1) rests against the inner or. righthand side of the plate3 while a narrow end face or the horizontal bottom edge of the sack 23rests on the overlapping retaining means 6. The normally upper side ofthe sack 23 faces the inner or left-hand side of the plate 4 when thesack drops into the compartment C. When the loading members L L pivottoward their second extreme positions L L respectively, the underside ofthe sack 23 slides along the inner side of the plate 3 While theretaining means 6 holds the longitudinal lower edge or end face of thesack until the latter reaches the phantom-line position 24 which isshown in FIG. 1. The sack is then free to drop onto the upper side ofthe platform 29 and assumes the phantom-line position 25 at the centerof the platform. Thus, when the sack is advanced from the upper run ofthe band 1 into the upwardly opening first compartment C, thereupon intothe downwardly opening second compartment C (position 24) and finallyinto the position 25, its side which was in contact with the band 2again becomes its underside by coming to rest on the upper side of theobject receiving platform 29. In the position 25, the sack constitutesthe bottom object of the central stack Y on the loading platform 20 (seeFIG. 3). As stated hereinabove, as soon as the sack is released from theinverted or downwardly opening second compartment C, the loading memberspreferably automatically return into their full-line positions L L ofFIG. 1 in which they again form an open-top or upwardly openingcompartment C to receive a second object.

The frame swinging means 16a, 19 preferably operates in such a way thateach second impulse conveyed by the photoelectric cell 17 to the controldevice 16 brings about a swinging movement of uprights 19 into theposition 1%; of FIG. 2, and that each third impulse received by thecontrol device 16 causes the uprights to move into the position 19 Whentheuprights assume the position 19 the frame '18 is advanced into theposition 18 and moves the loading members, which latter already hold anobject'ZQ into a position above the left-hand portion of the objectreceiving platform 20. Thus, when the retaining means 5, 6 release theobject 24 the latter assurnes the position 26 and forms the bottomobject of the left-hand stack X to be formed on the platform 20. Theobject 24 held by the loading members in the frame position 18ultimately forms the bottom object 27 of the right-hand stack Z.

By cyclically repeating the movements of the uprights 19 into theposition of FIG. 1 and thereupon into the positions 19 19 of FIG. 2, thephotoelectric means 17, 17a, the control device 16, and the frameswinging operative connection 16a cause the loading members to build upthree stacks X, Y, Z (FIG. 3) of equal height. The platform 20 isreciprocable upwardly toward and downwardly away from the frame means 18and retaining means 5, 6 by schematically indicated carriers 21. Thearrangement is such that the carriers 21 lift an empty platform 20 allthe way up and closely beneath the retaining means 5, 6 of the loadingmembers L L (see FIGS. 1 and 2), whereupon the platform descends to anextent preferably corresponding to the thickness of an object whenever afull horizontal layer or row of objects has been deposited thereon, i.e.whenever the uprights complete a full cycle of movements into theposition of FIG. 1 and into the positions 19 19 of FIG. 2 to uniformlybuild up the stacks X, Y, Z by adding to each of these stacks a singleobject in a predetermined sequence. It will be readily understood thatthe sequence in which the objects are deposited on the platform 2t) maybe varied at will, i.e. that say the bottom object 26 may be depositedbefore the bottom object 25, that the bottom object 27 may be depositedfirst, and so forth. It is preferred to deposit an object in the centralstack Y before depositing objects in the stacks X and Z.

The means for causing intermittent movements of the carriers orsupporting means 21 and of the object receiving platform 20 in downwarddirection may comprise a weight-responsive device which causes theplatform and the carriers to descend whenever the weight of the platformincreases by the combined weight of three objects or, alternately, itmay comprise a device which is responsive to increases in the height ofa stack on the platform 29, i.e. which is tripped whenever the last ofthree successive objects (e.g. the sack 27) drops from the downwardlyopening second compartment C onto the platform. A fully loaded platform(see FIG. 3) descends all the way onto the supporting surface of aschematically indicated discharge conveyor 22 and is transported intostorage or to any other destination.

Referring back to FIG. 1, it will be noted that, when the loadingmembers L L assume their phantomline positions L L respectively, theirretaining means 5, 6 are simultaneously removed from the underside ofthe sack 24. This is due to the fact that, while sliding along the innerside of the plate 3, the sack 23 is caused to slide with its lower endface further toward the plate 4- just above the retaining means 6 sothat, in an intermediate stage of movement toward the positions L L thetwo end faces of the sack 23 which are perpendicular to the plane ofFIG. 1 come into full or near abutment with the plates 3 and 4. In thelast stage of movement by members L L into the positions L Lrespectively, the retaining means are caused to move simultaneously awayfrom the underside of the sack which latter is already in the horizontalposition 24 so that the sack is simultaneously released by saidretaining means and may drop onto the platform 20 while remaining in asubstantially horizontal plane. The procedure is identical when the sack24 is caused to drop into the position 26, and also when the sack 24drops into the position 27 (see FIG. 2), i.e. when the frame means 18 isin the positions 18 18 respectively.

FIG. 3 illustrates a pair of sacks 60, 61 which are placed above and instaggered relation between the uppermost sacks 26, 25, and 25 27respectively. The sack 60 prevents eventual collapsing of the stack X ina direction to the left and away from the central stack Y, and theright-hand sack 61 holds the stack Z against movement away from thestack Y. As mentioned hereinabove, the frame 18 may be caused by theswinging means 16a, 19 to assume one or more intermediate positionsbetween the additional or extreme positions 18 18 said intermediatepositions being other than the central position of FIG. 1. In one ofsuch additional positions (i.e. when the frame is between the position18 and the position of FIG. 1), the loaders L L deposit the sack 60. Theother uppermost sack 61 is deposited when the frame assumes a positionbetween the position 18 and the central position of FIG. 1. The movementof the frame into such intermediate positions may be fully automatic andmay be triggered by the uppermost sack in one of the stacks X, Y, Z.

It has been found that the placing of two objects in staggered relationabove and between the uppermost objects in three adjacent stacks is notalways sufficient to prevent a collapse of the stacks duringtransportation of the platform 20. This can be corrected by stacking thegoods, e.g. filled sacks or the like, in a manner as shown in FIG. 5which indicates that the sacks in the two outer stacks Xa, Za areinclined in opposite directions with respect to the horizontal sacks inthe central stack Ya. In other words, the general plane of each objectin the outer stacks Xa, Za encloses an acute angle with and in adirection outwardly and away from the general planes of objects in thecentral stack Ya. This is also known as stacking at a slant. The purposeof the two uppermost objects a, 61a is the same as that of the objects60, 61 on the stacks of FIG. 3.

The apparatus for stacking the objects in the manner of FIG. 5 isillustrated in FIG. 4. The uprights 59 which support the frame 18 andthe loaders L,,, L, are not parallel as the uprights 19 of FIG. 1 butenclose with each other an acute angle, i.e. their upper ends convergetoward each other. Consequently, when the uprights 59 are in theirfull-line central positions, the loaders may deposit an object 62 inhorizontal position. However, when the uprights assume the left-handphantom-line positions 59 the frame in the position 18 is inclined andcauses the loaders L L (shown in the positions L L to drop the object 63at a slant as is shown in FIG. 5. Analogously, when in the position 59the uprights maintain the frame in the inclined position 18 and causethe loaders to deposit the object 64 at an angle with respect to thecentral object 62, the position of objects 63, 64 being in mirrorreverse with respect to a vertical plane passing through the center ofthe object 62. It can be said that the conveyor 22, the uprights 59, andthe frame 18 in FIG. 5 form the sides of a trapezoid with two parallelhorizontal sides and two inclined sides (59). When the uprights moveinto the positions 5% and 59 the entire arrangement assumes the form ofa trapezium as is clearly shown in phantom lines. It will be noted that,when the frame 18 is in the additional position 18 or 18 (i.e. in aposition other than the central position 18 of FIG. 4), the retainingmeans closer to the central stack Ya is at a level lower than the otherretaining means. Thus, when the frame is in the position 18 of FIG. 4,the retaining means 6 is at a lower level than the retaining means 5.

It will be readily understood that, if desired, the objects may bestacked in inverted position. All that is neces sary is to mount theretaining means 5, 6 in such a way that the former overlaps the latter,i.e. that the bottom end face of the object 23 shown in FIG. 1 comes torest upon the retaining means 5. While moving into the position L theleft-hand loading member L then causes the object 23 to slide along theleft-hand side of the plate 4 and to become inverted at the time itreaches the position 24. Such arrangement may become desirable when theupper sides of objects traveling on the endless band 1 receive a firstset of impressions, such as lettering, nu-

9 inerals or the like, and the other sides of objects should alsoreceive matter immediately after deposition on the platform 20. Forexample, if the right-hand side of the sack 23 shown in FIG. 1 isalready provided with printed matter, and assuming that the retainingmeans 5 overlaps the retaining means 6, the lower end of the sack willfollow the movement of retaining means 5 into the phantomline positionand, consequently, that which originally was the underside becomes theupper side of the sack when the latter assumes the position 24. Afterthe sack drops into the position 25, printed matter may be applied toits upper side before the next sack is stacked in the row In order toallow for removal of a loaded platform 20 by the discharge conveyor 22and in order to allow for the movement of an empty platform into theposition of FIG. 1, the fully loaded platform 20 in its lowermostposition may trigger a device which automatically arrests the supplyconveyor 1, 2 to thereby inactivate the loading members L L because thelight beam between the soiirce 17a and the cell 17 remainsuninterrupted. Also, the double-acting cylinder and piston assembly 10,a may be replaced by an electric motor and by a suitable linkage orother purely mechanical connection adapted to pivot the loading membersL,,, L into and between their extreme positions.

The stacking apparatus may operate with a single retaining means 5 or 6,if desired. Thus, by omitting the retaining means 5 (FIG. 1), and byeventually shortening the retaining means 6, the apparatus may stilldischarge an object in horizontal or substantially horizontal position,but it is preferred to utilize a pair of cooperating retaining meansbecause they can positively hold the underside of an object in thelatters horizontal position up to the exact time of discharge from thedownwardly opening compartment C.

Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a slightly modified stacking orloading apparatus which differs from the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 4 inthat it comprises a stationary frame 65 and in that it utilizes threeloading members which are adapted to deposit the objects in two adjacentstacks without requiring any swinging movements of the frame. The frame65 mounts three spaced parallel horizontal shafts 49, 50, 51 for theloading members L L L respectively. The shafts 49 and 51 are fixed tothe upper horizontal edges of plate-like main body portions 28, 30forming part of the two outer loading members L L respectively. Theshaft 50 is connected with the platelike main body portion 29 of thecentral loading member L at a point below the latters central portion.The connection between the loading members L L comprises a connectingrod 35 which is articulately fixed to the plates 28, 29 at 35a, 35b,respectively. The length of this rod 35 is adjustable in a manner notshown in the drawings, e.g. in the same way as illustrated in FIG. 1 inconnection with the rod 9. The connection between the loading members LL comprises a second longitudinally adjustable rod 36 which isarticulately fixed to the plates 29, 30

at 3512, 360, respectively. The point of connection 35b between the rods35, 36 and the plate 29 is located above the central shaft 511. Thepoint 35a is located between the shaft 49 and the lower edge of plate28, and the point 360 is located between the shaft 51 and the lower edgeof plate 30.

The lower horizontal edges of outer plates 28, 30 are articulatelyconnected with retaining means 34, 31 by suitable connections 34a, 31a,respectively, i.e. the angles formed between the plate 28 and retainingmeans 34 on the one hand, and between the plate 31) and the retainingmeans 31 on the other hand are adjustable within a wide range. The lowerhorizontal edge of central plate 29 is adjustably connected with a pairof oppositely inclined retaining means 32, 33 with the help of asuitable connecting device 32a. The outer retaining means 31, 34 arenormally turned toward the adjacent sides of the central 10 plate 29;the left-hand retaining means 33 of the loader L is normally at leastslightly inclined toward the righthand side of the outer plate 28; andthe right-hand retaining means 32 of the loader L is normally somewhatinclined toward the left-hand side of the plate 30.

In the position of FIG. 6, the loading members L and L define anupwardly expanding substantially trapezoidal first compartment C whoseupper end is open to receive an object 46 and Whose lower end is closedby the retaining means 33, 34 so that the lower end face of the object46 rests on the overlapping retaining means 33. At the same time, theloading members L L define a downwardly expanding trapezoidalcompartment C whose lower side is open sufliciently to permit automaticdischarge of another object (see the sack 47 in FIG. 12). The distancebetween the retaining means 31, 32 in the position of FIG. 6 is greaterthan the maximum dimension of an object, i.e. those retaining meanscannot impede a gravitational descent of objects from the compartment CThe means for pivoting the loading members L L L about the shafts 49,50, 51 respectively, in addition to the rods 35 and 36, comprises adouble-acting cylinder 38 whose left-hand end carries a bracket or eye37 articulately fixed to the stationary frame by a horizontal pin 37a.The cylinder 38 receives a reciprocable piston 38a whose piston rod 39is articulately fixed to the lower end of a link or crank 40, the latterbeing fixed to and being swingable with the plate 29 of the centralloading member L The connection between the piston rod 39 and the member40 consists of a horizontal pivot pin 39a. It will be seen that thecylinder 38 is swingable about the pin 37a in a vertical plane when itspiston 38a pivots the plate 29 about the shaft 50 whereby the connectingrods 35, 36 simultaneously pivot the outer loading members into thepositions L L which are shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. The central loadingmember L then assumes the position L i.e. the loading members transformthe upwardly opening compartment C into a downwardly and outwardlyexpanding and opening left-hand compartment C and simultaneouslytransform the compartment C into an upwardly and outwardly expanding andopening righthand compartment C When in the position of FIG. 9, theretaining means 31 of the right-hand loading member L overlaps theretaining means 32 of the central loading member L so that an object 47(FIG. 10) may come to rest upon the retaining means 31 after passingthrough the open upper end of the compartment C The double actingcylinder 38 is operated by a hydraulic or pneumatic fluid (e.g. oil orcompressed air) which is alternately introduced through a pair ofconduits 41, 42, the conduit 41 delivering fluid when the loadingmembers L L L must be moved from the positions of FIG. 6, 7 or 12 intothe intermediate positions L L L of FIG. 8 or 11, and finally into theother extreme positions L L L of FIG. 9 or 10. The righthand conduit 42delivers fluid to the cylinder 38 when the piston 38a and its rod 3?should pivot the loading members L L L; from the positions of FIG. 9through the intermediate positions of FIG. 8 back into the positions ofFIGS. 6 and 7. The conduits 41, 42 are connected to a preferablythree-way magnet valve 43 which receives fluid from a non-illustratedsource through a supply conduit 44. The energizable magnetic circuits ofthe valve 43 are conductively connected with and receive impulses from acontrol device 45 which latter, in turn, receives operating impulsesfrom a photoelectric cell 17 which cooperates with a light source 17a toconvey impulses to the control device 45 through conductor means 17bwhenever an object advancing along the upper run of the supply conveyor1, 2 interrupts the light beam produced by the source 17a. The cell 17and the source 17a are located at a predetermined distance from thedischarge end of conveyor means 1, 2 so that the double acting cylinder38 may move the loading members L1,, L L into the position of FIG. 7 or10 before '11 an object, e.g. a sack 46 or 47, actually reaches andpasses over the discharge end of the supply conveyor. Thus, themovements of all three loading members are again triggered by theobjects which are to be stacked by the improved apparatus.

While the exact construction of the control device 45 does not form anessential part of my invention because the loading or stacking apparatusmay be controlled by many types of presently known devices, I will nowshortly describe one preferred form of control means which may operatethe piston 38a that actually pivots the loading members L L and L Thusthe control device may comprise a step-by-step relay having an evennumber of relay points each corresponding to a switching step. The relaypoints corresponding to even-numbered operating steps are connected inparallel with each other and are further connected with that energizablemagnetic circuit of the magnet valve 43 which controls the flow ofcompressed fluid to one side of the piston 38a (e.g. the flow of fiuidthrough the conduit 41 toward and into the cylinder 38), as well as witha second energizable circuit of the magnet valve 43 which controls thebackflow of fluid from the opposite side of the piston 38:: (i.e. theflow of fluid through the conduit 42 back to the magnet valve). Therelay points corresponding to oddly numbered operating steps are thenconnected in parallel with each other as well as with two additionalenergizable circuits of the magnet valve 43, one of said additionalcircuits controlling the flow of fluid through the conduit 41 and backto the valve 43, and the other additional circuit controlling theadmission of fluid through the conduit 42 toward and into the cylinder38.

The apparatus of FIG. 6 also comprises a vertically reciprocableplatform 66 which is caused to descend, preferably in a fully automaticway in the same manner as described in connection with FIG. 1, wheneverit receives two additional objects, i.e. one for each of the two stacksto be formed thereon by the loading members L L and L When empty, theplatform 66 assumes its uppermost position immediately or closely belowthe retaining means 3134, but always at such distance from the loadingmembers that no damage can occur to an object which drops by gravityfrom the compartment C or C The discharge conveyor, corresponding to theconveyor 22 of FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, whose purpose is to move a fully loadedplatform 66 to its destination is not shown in FIGS. 6-12.

The loading or stacking apparatus of FIG. 6 operates as follows:

For the purposes of the description which will be made in connectionwith FIGS. 712, it is now assumed that the control device 4-5 comprisesthe aforementioned stepby-step relay. FIG. 7 shows an object, eg a sack46, in the compartment C formed by the left-hand loading member L andthe central loading member L in the position of the apparatus which isthe same as shown in FIG. 6. A next sack 47 is about to pass between thephotoelectric cell 17 and the li ht source 17a (not shown in FIG. 7),i.e. the cell 17 is about to convey an operating impulse through theconductor 17b which impulse is released when the light beam passing fromthe source 17a to the cell 17 is interrupted by the sack 47. As soon asthe light beam is interrupted, the step-by-step relay of the controldevice 45 switches into a next position in which the magnet valve 43 isoperated in such a way that it permits the flow of pressure fluid fromthe conduit 44 into the conduit 41 to thereby advance the piston 38a ina direction to the right. The piston rod 3? and the link 40 then pivotthe central plate 29 about the shaft 50 in anticlockwise direction whichresults in clockwise rotation of plates 28, 30 about the shafts 49, 51,respectively. As explained hereinabove, the valve 43 simultaneouslypermits return fiow of fluid from the right-hand side of the piston 38a,through the line 42,

and back into the magnet valve so that the piston meets no resistanceduring its travel to right for moving the loading members from thepositions L L L of FIG. 6 or 7 through the intermediate positions L L Lof FIG. 8 into the end positions L L L of FIG. 9. The movements ofloading members during the advance of piston 38a to right are indicatedby small arrows in FIG. 8. During such movements of the loading members,the sack 46 which rests on the overlapping retaining means 33 slides bygravity along the right-hand side of the plate 28 through the positionof FIG. 8 into the horizontal position of FIG. 9, and finally drops bygravity onto the left-hand portion of the platform 66 (position 46a) toconstitute the bottom object of the left-hand stack to be formed on saidplatform. By tracing the movements of the sack 46 from the position 46in FIG. 7 to the final position 46a on the platform 66, it will bereadily noted that the underside of said sack (i.e. that side which isin contact with the inner or right-hand side of the left-hand plate 28)comes to rest on the upper side of the loading platform. It can be saidthat, while the loading members L L perform pivotal movements inopposite directions to transform the upwardly opening compartment C intoa downwardly opening compartment C the sack 46 pivots from a fully ornearly vertical position (FIGS. 6 and 7) in anticlockwise direction(FIG. 8) into a horizontal or nearly horizontal position of FIG. 9, andfinally descends by gravity into the position 46:! as soon as itsunderside is released by the retaining means 33 and 34.

The movement of loading members L L L into the end positions of FIG. 9and the discharge of sack 46 into the position 46a are completed beforethe next sack 47 reaches the discharge end of the supply conveyor 1, 2,i.e. the loading members L L complete the formation of the upwardlyopening pocket or compartment C in good time so that the sack 47 may bereceived therein in a manner as shown in FIG. 10. The sack 47 comes torest on the retaining means 31 of the loading member L In the meantime,a next sack 48 is about to interrupt the light beam from the source 17ato the cell 17 so that the latter again sends an impulse through theconductor means 171) whereupon the stepby-step relay of the controldevice 45 switches into a further position in which the valve 43 permitsthe flow of fluid from the conduit 44 into the conduit 42 andsimultaneously permits return flow of fluid from the lefthand side ofthe piston 38a and through the conduit 41 back to the valve 43. Thepiston 38a now moves to left and pivots the loading members through theintermediate positions L L L of FIG. 11 back into the initial positionsL L L of FIG. 12. The directions in which the main body portions 28, 29,30 of the loading members are pivoted during an advance of the piston38a to left are indicated by short arrows in FIG. 11. As the loadingmembers L L move into and beyond the positions of FIG. 11, the sack 4-7which rests on the retaining means 31 is caused by gravity to pivot inanticlockwise direction by sliding along the right-hand side of theplate 29 and finally reaches the full-line horizontal position of FIG.12 whence it drops by gravity into the position 47a on the upper side ofthe right-hand portion of platform 66. The position of the apparatusshown in FIG. 12 corresponds to the position of FIG. 7, i.e. the loadingmembers L L again define the upwardly opening compartment C ready toreceive the next sack 4-8 which is about to drop over the discharge endof the supply conveyor 1, 2. The cycle is then repeated in that the sack48 is deposited onto the sack 46 in the latters position 46a, and thenext-following sack 67 is deposited onto the sack 47 in the lattersposition 47a, and so forth until the two stacks on the platform 66 reachthe desired height. It will be readily understood that the platform 26or 66 may be replaced by any other suitable type of object receivingmeans, for example, by a rectangular 13 receptacle which, when filled,may be immediately sealed and is ready for shipment.

The advantageous feature of the improved apparatus that it may depositthe underside of an object onto the upper side of the platform can bereadily traced by following the path of the sack 47 in FIGS. 9 to 12.FIG. 9 shows that the sack 47 is about to drop into the compartment C insuch a way that its underside, previously in contact with the upper runof the band 1, comes to rest against the right-hand side of the centralplate 29 (FIG. 10). The underside of the sack 47 then slides along theright-hand side of the plate 29 (FIG. 11) and is turned toward the upperside of the platform 66 when the sack 47 reaches the horizontal positionof FIG. 12. This becomes important when only the upper sides of thegoods are provided with inscriptions, numbers or any other type ofindicia because such indicia are again observable when the goods come torest on the loading latform.

As explained hereinabove, the adjustable connections 34a, 32a, 31abetween the retaining means 34, 3233, 31 and the plates 28, 29, 30,respectively, enable an operator to adjust the apparatus in such mannerthat the objects are properly supported in the compartments C and C andalso that the objects are released by the respective retaining means inpreferably horizontal or nearly horizontal position as was describedhereinabove in connection with FIGS. 1 and 4. In addition, suchadjustments of the retaining means, coupled with longitudinaladjustability of connecting rods 35 and 36, enable the operator toreadily adapt the volume and shape of compartments C and C for receptionof objects of greatly differing dimensions and configuration, i.e. theimproved loading apparatus is one of nearly universal utility in that itcan be used in connection with smaller, larger, lighter, heavier, anddifferently configurated types of goods.

It will be readily understood that, in its simplified for-m, theapparatus may be utilized for stacking objects in a single row; suchapparatus merely comprises a stationary frame and a pair of loadingmembers.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge,readily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialchlarmoteristics of the generic and specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An apparatus for the deposition of objects in at least one stackwhich comprises, in combination, a frame; a pair of spaced substantiallyhorizontal shafts mounted in said frame; two loading members, eachcomprising a main body portion having a lower end and substantiallyhorizontal retaining means connected with and located in the proximityof the lower end of the respective body portion, said retaining meansinclined toward each other and each body portion pivotally mounted onone of said shafts at a point spaced from llhe lower end thereof; andmeans operatively connected with said body portions for pivoting thesame about the respective shafts into a first position in which theretaining means overlap and said members define an upwardly openingcompartment for reception of an object from above and the object comesto rest on the one retaining means which overlaps the other retainingmeans, and into 'a second position in which said members transform: saidcompartment into a downwardly opening second compartment and theretaining means are moved away from each other whereby the object isfirst tilted so that a portion thereof comes to rest on the otherretaining means, and the object is thereupon rcleased and drops from thesecond compartment 14 when the body portions continue to pivot towardsaid second position.

2. An apparatus for the deposition of objects in at least one stackwhich comprises, in combination, supply conveyor means for moving aseries of objects at spaced intervals, said conveyor means having adischarge end over which the objects may drop; a pair of substantiallyhorizontal shafits disposed beneath the discharge end of andperpendicular to the direction in which the objects are moved by saidconveyor means; two loading members, each comprising a body portionformed with a substantially horizontal lower edge and retaining meansconnected to said edge and inclined toward the body portion of the othermember, each body portion pivotally mounted on one of said shad-ts at apoint spaced from the lower edge thereof; means operatively connectedwith said loading members for pivoting the same about the respectiveshafts in opposite directions into a first position in which theretaining means overlap and said members define an upwardly openingccmpanment for reception of an object dropping over the discharge end ofsaid conveyor means whereby the object comes to rest on the oneretaining means which overlaps the other retaining means, and again inopposite directions into a second position in which said memberstransform the compartment into a downwardly opening second compartmentand the retaining means are moved away from each other sufiiciently topermit discharge of the object by gravity from said second compartment;and control means for operating said pivoting means, said control meanscomprising means for conveying operating impulses to said pivoting meansin response to movements of objects on said conveyor means and adaptedto operate said pivoting means in such manner and at such intervals thatsaid members define the upwardly opening compartment whenever an objectdrops over the discharge end of said conveyor means.

3. An apparatus for the deposition of objects in at least one shackwhich comprises, in combination, supply conveyor means for supportingthe undersides of and for moving a series of objects at spacedintervals, said conveyor means having a discharge end over which theobjects may drop; a pair of substantially horizontal shaft-s disposedbeneath the discharge end of and perpendicular to the direction in whichthe objects are moved by said conveyor means; two loading members, eachcomprising a substantially plate-like main body portion formed with asubstantially horizontal lower edge and retaining means connected besaid edge and inclined toward the body portion of the other member, eachbody portion pivotally mounted on one of said shafts at a point upwardlyspaced irom the lower edge thereof; means operatively connected withsaid loading members for pivoting the same about the respective lafitsin opposite directions into a first position in which the retainingmeans overlap and said members define an upwardly opening compartmentfor reception of an object dropping over the discharge end of saidconveyor means whereby the object comes to rest on the one retainingmeans which overlaps the other retaining means and the underside of theobject comes to rest against the body portion of chat loading memberwhose retaining means is overlapped, vand again in opposite directionsinto a second position in which said members transform said compartmentinto a downwardly opening second compartmerit and the retaining meansare moved away from each other sufiicienflly to permit the discharge ofthe object by gravity from said second compartment, the underside of theobject sliding along said ast mentioned body portion and coming to reston said other retaining means shortly before said loading members reachsaid second position; and control means for operating said pivotingmeans, said control means comprising means for conveying operatingimpulses to said pivoting means in response to movements of objects onsaid conveyor means and adapted to operate said pivoting means at suchintervals that said loading members define the upwardly opening 155'compartment whenever an object drops over the discharge end of saidconveyor means.

4. An apparatus for the deposition of objects in at least one stackwhich comprises, in combination, a first and a second loading membereach comprising a main body portion having a substantially horizontallower edge and retaining means connected with said lower edge andinclined toward the body portion of the other loading member; a firstsubstantially horizontal shaft pivotally mounting the body portion ofthe first loading member at a point spaced from the lower edge thereof;a second shaft spaced from and substantially parallel with said firstshaft, said second shaft pivotally mounting the body portion of thesecond loading member at a point spaced from the lower edge thereof, thedistance between the first shaft and the retaining means of the firstloading member being greater than the distance between the sec ond shaftand the retaining means of the second loading member; and meansoperatively connected with said body portions for pivoting the sameabout the respective shafts into a first position in which the retainingmeans overlap and said loading members define an upwardly openingcompartment for reception of an object whereby the object comes to reston the one retaining means which overlaps the other retaining means, andinto a second position in which said loading members transform saidcompartment into a downwardly opening second compartment and theretaining means are moved away from each other whereby the object isreleased and drops from the second compartment, said pivoting meanscomprising connecting means articulately connected to the body portionof the first loading member at a point intermediate said first shaft andthe retaining means of said first load ing member, and said connectingmeans further articulately connected to the body portion of the secondloading member at a point more distant from the lower edge thereof thansaid second shaft whereby the body portion of the first loading memberalways pivots in clockwise direction when the body portion of the secondloading member pivots in anticlockwise direction, and vice versa.

5. An apparatus for the deposition of objects in a plurality of stackscomprising, in combination, supply conveyor means for moving a series ofobjects at spaced intervals, said conveyor means having a discharge endover which the objects may drop; frame means; two spaced substantiallyhorizontal shafts mounted in said frame means and substantiallyperpendicular to the direction in which the objects are moved by saidconveyor means; two loading members each comprising a main body portionformed with a substantially horizontal lower edge and retaining meansconnected to said edge and inclined toward the body portion of the otherloadmg member, each body portion pivotally mounted on one of said shaftsat a point spaced from the lower edge thereof; means for swinging saidframe means between a central position in which said loading members aredisposed substantially beneath the discharge end of said conveyor meansand at least one additional position; means operatively connected withsaid loading members for pivoting the samewhen the frame means is insaid central position-into a first position in which the retaining meansoverlap and said loading members define an upwardly opening firstcompartment for reception of an object dropping over the discharge endof said conveyor means whereby the object comes to rest on the oneretaining means which overlaps the other retaining means, and into asecond position in which said loading members transform the firstcompartment into a downwardly opening second compartment and theretaining means are moved away from each other sufficiently to permitdischarge of the object from said second compartment; object receivingmeans disposed below said retaining means in each position of said framemeans; control means for operating said pivoting means, said controlmeans comprising means for conveying operating impulses to said pivotingmeans in response to movements of objects on said conveyor means andadapted to operate said pivoting means at such intervals that saidioading members define a first compartment whenever an object drops overthe discharge end of said conveyor means; and an operative connectionbetween said control means and said swinging means for operating thelatter in such manner that said frame means is maintained in saidcentral position when a first object is received in the firstcompartment for a period of time required by said loading members totransform the first compartment into said second compartment and todeposit the first object in a first stack on said object receivingmeans, and that said frame means is sequentially swung into each saidadditional position when subsequent objects are received in the firstcompartment and before the loading members transform the firstcompartment into said second comartment whereby the successive objectsare deposited in additional stacks on said object receiving means, thenumber of additional stacks corresponding to the number of additionalpositions of said frame means.

6. An apparatus for the deposition of objects in two stacks comprising,in combination, a frame; a first shaft, central second shaft, and athird shaft mounted in said frame, said shafts substantially horizontaland substantially parallel with each other; a first loading member, acentral second loading member, and a third loading member, each loadingmember comprising a main body portion having a substantially horizontallower edge, the body portions of said first, central and third loadingmembers pivotally mounted on said first, central and third shafts,respectively, said first loading member further comprising firstretaining means connected to the lower edge of its body portion andinclined toward the body portion of the central loading member, saidcentral loading member further comprising second and third retainingmeans both connected to the lower edge of its body portion and inclinedtoward the body portions of the first and third loading members,respectively, and the third loading member further comprising fourthretaining means connected to the lower edge of its body portion andinclined toward the body portion of said central loading member; andmeans operatively connected with said loading members for pivoting thesame into a first position in which the first and second retaining meansoverlap, in which the first and central loading members define anupwardly opening first compartment for reception of a first objectwhereby the first object comes to rest upon that one of said first andsecond retaining means which overlaps the other of said last mentionedretaining means, in which the third and fourth retaining means are movedaway from each other a distance greater than the maximum dimension of anobject, and in which said central and third loading members define adownwardly opening second compartment, and into a second position inwhich the first and central loading members transform the firstcompartment into a downwardly opening third compartment, in which thefirst and second retaining means are moved away from each other adistance greater than the maximum dimension of the first object wherebythe first object may drop by gravity from said third compartment, inwhich said third and fourth retaining means overlap, and in which saidcentral and said third loading members transform the second compartmentinto an upwardly opening fourth compartment for reception of a secondobject whereby the second object comes to rest on that one of said thirdand fourth retaining means which overlaps the other of said lastmentioned retaining means.

7. An apparatus for the deposition of objects in two stacks comprising,in combination, supply conveyor means for moving a series of objects atspaced intervals, said conveyor means having a discharge end over whichthe objects may drop; a stationary frame; a first shaft, a centralsecond shaft, and a third shaft, said shafts mounted in said framesubstantially below the discharge end of said conveyor means, saidshafts substantially horizontal and each substantially perpendicular tothe direction in which the objects are moved on said conveyor means; afirst loading member, a central second loading member, and a thirdloading member, each loading member comprising a main body portionhaving a substantially horizontal lower edge, the body portions of saidfirst, central and third loading members pivotally mounted on saidfirst, central and third shafts, respectively, said first loading iemberfurther comprising first retaining means connected to the lower edge ofits body portion and inclined toward the body portion or" the centralloading member, said central loading member further comprising secondand third retaining means connected to the lower edge of its bodyportion and inclined toward the body portions of said first and thirdloading members, respectively, and the third loading member furthercomprising fourth retaining means connected to the lower edge of itsbody portion and inclined toward the body portion of the central loadingmember; means operatively connected with said loading members forpivoting the same into a first position in which the first and secondretaining means overlap, in which the first and central loading membersdefine an upwardly opening first compartment for reception of a firstobject dropping over the discharge end of said conveyor means wherebythe first object comes to rest on that one of said first and secondretaining means which overlaps the other of said last mentionedretaining means, in which the third and fourth retaining means are vedaway from each other a distance greater than the maximum dimension of anobject, and in which said central and third loadin members define adownwardly opening second compartment, and into a second position inwhich the first and central loading members transform the firstcompartment into a downwardly opening third compartment, in which thefirst and second retaining means are moved away from each other adistance greater than the maximum dimension of the first object wherebythe first object may drop by gravity from said third compartment, inwhich said third and fourth retaining means overlap, and in which saidcentral and said third loading members transform the second compartmentinto an upwardly opening fourth compartment for reception of a secondobject dropping over the discharge end of said conveyor means wherebythe second object comes to rest on that one of said third and fourthretaining means which overlaps the other of said last mentionedretaining means; and control means for operating said pivoting means insuch manner that the loading members are alternately moved into saidfirst and second positions, said control means comprising means forconveying operating impulses to said pivoting means in response tomoveients of objects on said conveyor means and adapted to operate saidpivoting means at such intervals that said loading members alternatelydefine said first and fourth compartments whenever an object drops overthe discharge end of said conveyor means.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said control meanscomprises means for automatically transforming the upwardly openingcompartment into said second compartment when an object is received insaid first compartment.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of said bodyportions comprises a substantially horizontal lower edge and furthercomprising means for angularly adjustably fixing said retaining means tothe lower edges of the respective body portions whereby the extent towhich said body portions must be pivoted from said first to said secondposition to release an object may be varied in response to angularadjustment of said retaining means.

10. An apparatus as set forth in ciaim 4, wherein said connecting meansis a rod-shaped connecting member of adjustable length.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising objectreceiving means disposed beneath said sec- 0nd compartment for receivingin the form of at least one stack the objects discharged from the secondcompartment, and carrier means for reciprocating said object receivingmeans toward and away from said retaining means.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said carrier meansmaintains the object receiving means in close proximity of saidretaining means when the object receiving means is empty, and furthercomprising means responsive to increases in the height of a stack onsaid object receiving means for moving the carrier means and the objectreceiving means away from the retaining means.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said carrier meansmaintains the object receiving means in close proximity of saidretaining means when the object receiving means is empty, and furthercomprising means responsive to increases in weight of said objectreceiving means for intermittently moving said carrier means and saidobject receiving means away from said retaining means.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said carrier meansmaintains the object receiving means in close proximity of saidretaining means when the object receiving means is empty, and furthercomprising operating means for said carrier means, said operating meansactuatable by the uppermost object in a stack on said object receivingmeans for moving the carrier means and the object receiving means awayfrom said retaining means in response to increases in height of a stackon said object receiving means.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the frame means isswingable in a vertical plane and the swinging means for said framemeans comprises at least one pair of uprights.

16. An apparatus for the deposition of substantially flat objects as setforth in claim 5, wherein the spacing between the retaining means in thesecond position of said loading members is such that the objects aredischarged from the second compartment in substantially horizontalposition when the frame means is in said central position, and that theobjects are discharged from the second compartment in slightly inclinedposition when the frame means is in said additional position.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the retaining meanscloser to said first stack is at a level lower than the level of theother retaining means when the loading members transform the firstcompartment into said second compartment and the frame means is in aposition other than said central position.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the means for swingingsaid frame means comprises first and second upright means each having alower end articulately connected to the ground and an upper endarticulately connected with said frame means, said upright meansconverging toward each other in a direction from the lower toward theupper ends thereof and constituting the sides of a trapezoid when theframe means is in said central position whereby the frame means isinclined with respect to said central position when swung by saidupright means into the additional position, said means for pivoting theloading members being mounted on and swingable with said frame means.

19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the frame means ismovable by said swinging means into at least one intermediate positionbetween said central position and said additional position, saidoperative connection between the control means and the swinging meansbeing such that the swinging means moves the frame means into saidintermediate position when the first stack and the additional stackreach a predetermined height whereby the loading members deposit anobject in stag- 19 gered relation above and between the central stackand the additional stack.

20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said pivoting meansalternately pivots said loading members into said first position byrotating said first and third loading members in one direction and byrotating said central loading member in another direction, and into saidsecond position by rotating the first and third loading members in saidother direction and by rotating the central loading member in said onedirection.

21. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the second retainingmeans overlaps the first retaining means in the first position of saidloading members whereby the first object comes to rest on said secondretaining means, and wherein the fourth retaining means overlaps thethird retaining means in the second position of said loading memberswhereby the second object comes to rest on said fourth retaining means.

22. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, further comprising means forangularly adjustably fixing the first retaining means to the lower edgeof the body portion of said first loading member, means for angulariyadjustably fixing the second and third retaining means to the lower edgeof the body portion of said central loading member, and means forangularly adjustably fixing the fourth retaining means to the lower edgeof the body portion of said third loading member.

23. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said pivoting meanscomprises a first connecting member articulately fixed to said first andsecond loading members for rotating the central loading member inclockwise direction when the first loading member is rotated inanticlockwise direction and vice versa, and a second connect ing memberarticulately fixed to said central and third loading members forrotating the third loading member in clockwise direction when thecentral loading member is rotated in anticlockwise direction and viceversa.

24. An apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said connectingmembers are rods of adjustable length and the volumes of saidcompartments are variable in response to adjustments in the length ofsaid rods.

25. An apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein the body portions ofsaid first, central and third loading members are respectively mountedon said first, central and third shafts in such a way that the distancebetween the central shaft and the lower edge of the body portion of saidcentral loading member is less than the distance between said first andthird shaft and the lower edges of the respective body portions of saidfirst and third loading members, the means for pivoting said loadingmembers comprising a first connecting member articulately fixed to saidfirst loading member at a point intermediate said first shaft and saidfirst retaining means and articulately fixed to said central loadingmember at a point more distant from said second and third retainingmeans than said central shaft whereby the central loading member isrotated by the first connecting member in clockwise direction when thefirst loading member rotates in anticlockwise direction and vice versa,and a second connecting member articulatcly fixed to said third loadingmember at a point intermediate said third shaft and said fourthretaining means, said second connecting member articulately fixed tosaid central loading member at a point more distant from said second andthird retaining means than said central shaft whereby the third loadingmember is rotated by the second connecting member in clockwise directionwhen the central loading member rotates in anticlockwise direction andvice versa.

26. An apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein the point ofconnection between said first connecting member and said central loadingmember coincides with the point of connection between the secondconnecting member and said central loading member.

27. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein the means forconveying operating impulses to said pivoting means is a photoelectriccell adjacent to the path in which the objects move on and toward thedischarge end of said conveyor means.

28. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein the means for pivotingsaid loading members comprises doubie-acting cylinder and piston means,said piston means having a first side and a second side, piston rodmeans reciprocable by said piston means and articuiately connected withone of said loading members, connecting means articulately fixed to bothsaid loading members for rotating one of said loading members inclockwise direction when the other loading member rotates inanticlockwise direction in response to movement of said piston means inone direction and vice versa, a source of pressure fluid, a three-waymagnet valve, and conduit means connecting said valve with said sourceand with said cylin der means at tie first and second sides of saidpiston means, said valve comprising four energizable magnetic circuitsthe first of which is adapted to admit fluid to the first side of saidpiston means, the second of which is adapted to permit the flow of fluidfrom the second side of said piston means, the third or" which isadapted to admit fluid to the second side of said piston means, and thefourth of which is adapted to permit the fiow of fiuid from the firstside of said piston means; said control means comprising photoelectricmeans for conveying operating impulses in response to movements ofobjects on said conveyor means, and step-by-step relay means having afirst pair of relay points connected in parallel with each other andwith said first and second circuits, respectively, and a second pair ofrelay points connected in parallel with each other and with said thirdand fourth circuits, respectively, said relay means conductivelyconnected with said photoelectric means in such a manner that a firstoperating impulse transmitted by said photo electric means ener izessaid first and second circuits to move the piston rod means in onedirection whereby the loading members are pivoted into said firstposition, and that the next operating impulse transmitted by saidphotoelectric means energizes said third and fourth circuits to move thepiston rod means in the other direction whereby the loading members arepivoted into said second position.

29. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said pivoting meanscomprises double-acting cylinder a pi ton means on said frame, saidpiston means having a first side and a second side, piston rod meansreciprocable by said piston means and articulately connected with one ofsaid loading members, connecting means articulately fixed to said oneloading member and to the other leading members for rotating the centralloadins member in anticlockwise direction when the first and thirdloading members rotate in clockwise direction in response to movement ofsaid piston rod means in one direction and vice versa., a source ofpressure fiuid, a three-way magnet valve, and conduit means connectingsaid valve with said source and with said cylinder means at the firstand second sides of said piston means, valve comprising four energizablemagnetic circuits the first of which is adapted to admit fluid to thefirst side of said piston means, the second of which is adapted topermit the flow of fl from the second side of said piston means, thethird of which is adapted to admit fluid to the second side of saidpiston means, and the fourth of which is adapted to permit the flow offluid from the first side of said piston means; said control meanscomprising photoelectric means for conveying operating impulses inresponse to movements of objects on said conveyor means, andstep-by-step relay means having a first pair of relay points connectedin parallel with each other and with said first and second circuits,respectively, and a second pair of relay points connected in parallelwith each other and with said third and fourth circuits, respectively,said relay means conductively connected with said photoelectric means insuch a manner that a first operating impulse transmitted by saidphotoelectric means energizes said first and second circuits to move thepiston rod means in one direction whereby the loading members arepivoted into said first position, and that the next operating impulsetransmitted by said photoelectric means energizes said third and fourthcircuits to move the piston rod means in the other direction whereby theloading members are pivoted into said second position.

30. An apparatus for the deposition of substantially flat objects insubstantially horizontal position in at least one stack as set forth inclaim 1, wherein in the first position of said body portions saidloading members define an upwardly opening compartment for reception ofan object References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 2,217,983 Hopkins Oct. 15, 1940 2,297,253 Scotti Sept. 29, 19422,315,003 Martin et a1 Mar. 30, 1943 2,977,002 Asp Mar. 28, 1961

1. AN APPARATUS FOR THE DEPOSITION OF OBJECTS IN AT LEAST ONE STACKWHICH COMPRISES, IN COMBINATION, A FRAME; A PAIR OF SPACED SUBSTANTIALLYHORIZONTAL SHAFTS MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME; TWO LOADING MEMBERS, EACHCOMPRISING A MAIN BODY PORTION HAVING A LOWER END AND SUBSTANTIALLYHORIZONTAL RETAINING MEANS CONNECTED WITH AND LOCATED IN THE PROXIMITYOF THE LOWER END OF THE RESPECTIVE BODY PORTION, SAID RETAINING MEANSINCLINED TOWARD EACH OTHER AND EACH BODY PORTION PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ONONE OF SAID SHAFTS AT A POINT SPACED FROM THE LOWER END THEREOF; ANDMEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID BODY PORTIONS FOR PIVOTING THESAME ABOUT THE RESPECTIVE SHAFTS INTO A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH THERETAINING MEANS OVERLAP AND SAID MEMBERS DEFINE AN UPWARDLY OPENINGCOMPARTMENT FOR RECEPTION OF AN OBJECT FROM ABOVE AND THE OBJECT COMESTO REST ON THE ONE RETAINING MEANS WHICH OVERLAPS THE OTHER RETAININGMEANS, AND INTO A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH SAID MEMBERS TRANSFORM SAIDCOMPARTMENT INTO A DOWNWARDLY OPENING SECOND COMPARTMENT AND THERETAINING